Dua for Safar – What does Safar mean? Before we learn the prayer for traveling, of course we must know what it is so that the prayer is correct and properly practiced.
So, safar is an Arabic term which means traveling. Take a trip or transportation. In traveling we are encouraged to pray, there is a special prayer that is recommended by the Prophet Muhammad to be read by his ummah who travels. Here, we will learn the dua for traveling or prayer for traveling. The mean of safar here is general, meaning it can be done with anything, by car, boat, ship, plane or by foot etc.
Supplication or Dua For Traveling
In short, this hadith teaches us to recite things like the following:
- Reading (Bismillah) [three times]
- Alhamdulillah
- Subhaan allazi Sakh-khara Lana Haza Wa Ma Kunna Lahu Muqriniin. Wa Inna Ila Rabbina Lamunqalibun (referenced in Surah Zukhruf verses 13-14)
- Alhamdulillah and Allahuakbar [three times]
- Subhanaka Inni Qad Dhalamtu Nafsi, Faghfirli Fa-Innahu La Yaghfiruz-Zunuba Illa Anta.
For those of you who want to see the complete hadith, you can look in the book Jami At-Tirmidhi, Vol. 6, Book of Supplications, Hadith 3446 Ali bin Rabi’ah said:
Invocation or Dua For Traveler
Dua Safar in Arabic
سُبْحَانَ الَّذِى سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ
Dua Safar in transliteration
Bismillahi wa alhamdu liallahi. Subhanaalladhi sakh-khara lana hadha wa ma kunna lahu muqrinin. Wa inna ila Rabbi-na la munqalibun.
Dua Safar in English Translation
In the name of Allah, and Praise be to Allah. Glory be to the one who has placed this (transport) at our service and we ourselves would not have been capable of that, and to our Lord we will surely return.
See too: INNA LILLAHI WA INNA ILAYHI RAJI’UN MEANING
For the complete travel prayer, you can read it as follows when you ride the vihicle. This dua also welknow as the dua for riding the transportation, anything transportation. So, if you travel only by your feet, you not recite this dua.
(3X) الله أَكْبَرُ
سُبْحَانَ الَّذِى سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ فِى
سَفَرِنَا هَذَا الْبِرَّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَمِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا تَرْضَى اللَّهُمَّ هَوِّنْ عَلَيْنَا سَفَرَنَا هَذَا وَاطْوِ عَنَّا بُعْدَهُ
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الصَّاحِبُ فِى السَّفَرِ وَالْخَلِيفَةُ فِى الأَهْلِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّى أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ وَعْثَاءِ السَّفَرِ
وَكَآبَةِ الْمَنْظَرِ وَسُوءِ الْمُنْقَلَبِ فِى الْمَالِ وَالأَهْلِ
Transliteration
“Allahuakbar (3x).
Subhaanalladzii sakh-khoro lanaa haadzaa wa maa kunnaa lahuu muqriniin. Wa inna ilaa robbinaa lamun-qolibuun. Allahumma innaa nas-alulka fii safarinaa haaczaa al-birro wat taqwaa wa minal ‘amali maa tardhoo. Allahumma antsh shoohibu fis safar, wal kholifatu fil ahli. Allahumma innii a’uudzubika min wa’tsaa-is safari wa ka-aabatil manzhori wa suu-il munqolabi fil maali wal ahli.”
Translation in english
“God is great, God is great, God is great. Glory to God who has subjected to us this vehicle, even though we did not previously have the ability to do it, and only to our Lord we will return.
Also see: Benefits of Surah Yaseen
O Allah, we ask You for goodness, piety, and deeds that You are pleased with on this journey of ours. O Allah, make this journey easy for us, bring us closer for the far distance. O Allah, You are a companion in the journey and a substitute in the family. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from a difficult journey, a sad place of return, and a bad view of wealth and family.”
Dua for Safar when Reach the Destination
When we arrive at the destination of our journey, there is a prayer that is recommended for us to read. This is related to our safety on the road, and asking Allah that the place we are going is good, the society is good, and there is no evil and no evil whatsoever.
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ السَّبْعِ وَمَا أَظْلَلْنَ وَرَبَّ الَأَرَضِينَ السَّبْعِ وَمَا أَقْلَلْنَ وَرَبَّ الشَّيَاطِينَ وَمَا أَضْلَلْنَ وَرَبَّ الرِّيَاحِ وَمَا ذَرَيْنَ فَإِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَ هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ وَخَيْرَ أَهْلَهَا وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّهَا وَشَرِّ أَهْلِهَا وَشَرِّ مَا فِيهَا
Transliteration
Allhum rabbas samawati sab’i wama aẓlun wa-rab alaradhiin sab’i wama aqlalna warab shayaṭin wama adhlalna warab alryaḥ wama zaraina fa inna nasaluka khayr hazihi qaryah wa khaira ahlaha wa na’uzubika min shrarriha washarri ahliha washarri ma fihaa.
English Translation
“O Allah, You are the Lord of the seven skies and all the things that are under these skies and the seven planets and whatever is over these and of Satan who misled and all those misled by him and for the wind and all that it blows. Thus we seek the good of this town and the good of its members (people) and seek refuge from its evil and the evil of its members and from the evils of whatever is in it”. (Hisnul Hasin from Ibn Habban)
Other Hadiths About Safar and Safe Journey
The two journeys we mention in this article are well-known prayers for travel, and many more are recommended. Now we will focus on the advice and advice of the Prophet Muhammad for those who travel.
1. It’s Better To Travel or SafarWith Others
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Were people to know of what I know about the dangers of traveling alone, no rider would travel alone at night.”. In another narration, The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “A single rider is (accompanied with) Satan and two riders are (accompanied with) two Satans. Three riders form a group.”
So the bottom line is that it’s not good to travel alone because the potential for danger is greater. So, if you want to go on a long trip, go with friends, at least with two friends so as to form three people in one group.
See too: The Best Dua After Salah
2. Dua When going up and down in Safar
When traveling overland, we certainly experience various road conditions, sometimes the road goes up and sometimes it goes down. So, Rasulullah SAW said Allahu-Akbar when the road was going uphill and recited SubhanAllah when the road was going downhill.
This is as a hadith from Ibn Umar, he said: Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) and his army ascended a height, they would recite: “Allahu Akbar (Allah is Greatest),” and when they climbed down, they would recite: “SubhanAllah (Allah is free from imperfection).”
Shortened Salah While Traveling
To be allowed to pray briefly or shorten the prayer, there are conditions that must be met. For example, the distance traveled, the trip is not for immorality, and the prayer that can be shortened is the four cycles of prayer, namely dhuhur, asar, and isya.
While the maghrib salah, should not be shortened because of three raka’at, but may be collected at the time of Isha with certain conditions and this is called Jama’ Salah.
Also see: Dua Qunoot in Salah (Dua Qunuts)
So, the distance that is allowed to shorten the prayer is 16 Farsakh. Ibn Abbas explained that the minimum distance allowed for qasar prayers (shortening prayers) is 4 burds or 16 farsakhs. 1 farsakh = 5541 meters so 16 farsakhs = 88,656 km. This opinion is believed by the majority of mazhab scholars such as Imam Malik, Imam Ash-Shafi’i and Imam Ahmad and the followers of the three Imams.
To be clear about the procedure for shortening the prayer during the trip, InshaAllah we will write another article.